Collection M 001, Series 18.G.5.3
Hozhoni Days history
A History of Hozhoni Days at Fort Lewis College
by Bertina Nez (Navajo), March 2003
Fort Lewis College thinks it’s celebrating its 39th annual Hozhoni Days in 2003. In reality, according to the Fort Lewis College 1966 Katzima annual book, Hozhoni Days was officially planned and organized in 1966. A form of Hozhoni Days had been celebrated years before, starting at least in 1961 according to the Fort Lewis Katzima 1966 annual book. However in 1966 Hozhoni Days was actually considered the first annual and the celebration was given the name Hozhoni Days, therefore making 2003 the 37th annual celebration, not the 39th annual.
History of Native American Students at Fort Lewis College
For over 122 years Fort Lewis served its purpose as a military post, an
Indian School, rural high school, junior college, and today a four-year college.
Native Americans have always been involved with Fort Lewis.
According to the book Sacred Trust by Duane Smith, Fort Lewis College evolved in 1891 into an Indian Boarding School. The school was planned to serve only Southern Utes, Navajos and any other Natives in the area. The people who supported the boarding school idea expected it to be the means of assimilation because the young Natives were physically removed from their traditional culture and home and were placed in a new environment. Currently it is believed that it was to teach and train the Native people that came to Fort Lewis to accept the culture and the world of mainstream America. Native children that came to Fort Lewis dressed in Native attire were discouraged. Students were encouraged to adopt names of notable American leaders; teachers had students named George Washington or Thomas Jefferson in class. In the book Sacred Trust Ensabad Martin, a student of the boarding school, remembers the school was run like a military school; "they would march the children, teach them to march." Indian children were brought in at all ages. The youngest child was six years old and slept in a basket below the dorm mother’s bed. The mixed age group created a challenge for the teachers. The students were not placed in classrooms by grade levels; they were all in one classroom for all ages.
The Indian Boarding School hosted an industrial training. The training was designed to lead the Natives along the "White Man’s Road." The government brought the native people from near by reservations, such as the Ute, Navajo, and other tribal reservations. At these training sessions the Natives were trained to work in government buildings, offices or related jobs. (Sacred Trust, 1991)
By this time the Colorado State purchased the site from the federal government for a rural high school. By 1927 the high school transformed into a junior college, since the surrounding communities offered high school work.
In 1956 the Fort Lewis campus was moved from the old Hesperus site to the mesa above Durango. During the transition Fort Lewis became a degree-granting four-year college. When Fort Lewis was purchased by the Colorado State, the agreement between Colorado State and the United States government was that the Native students that attend the institution would receive tuition waiver. If the waiver was eliminated, then Colorado must give the site back to the government (according to a statement at the 2003 Hozhoni Days speaker series by John Ecohawk (Pawnee), Executive Director, Native American Rights Fund).
After building Fort Lewis College on the mesa, it has grown into a tremendous campus for students. Students have experienced the growth of Fort Lewis College. In the 1960s the campus was different than the campus today. In the 1960s, the campus roads were dirt. Today we have paved roads. The campus was half the size of today’s campus. Main buildings were the Berndt Hall, the Miller Student Center, where today the Native American Center is located, the library and the cafeteria. Noble Hall, the Center of Southwest Studies and the apartments complex, located on the north side of campus, were not built until the late 1970s, 80s, 90s and early 2000. This area was part of the golf course. Clyde Benally stated during an interview that numerous students of the 1960s remember the time they played golf and considered it a learning experience. Today the golf course is located off campus to the north.
The dining room was smaller. The cafeteria had family style tables and chairs set up for students to eat their breakfast, lunch and dinner. Today they have restaurant style tables that have marbled tops and chairs that are cushioned. The cafeteria served only one menu each meal and had a snack bar downstairs. Today the cafeteria offers a variety of food in a buffet style. Now we have the café down stairs called The River Rock Café, serving all types of foods and the espresso called the Jazzman’s in front of the cafeteria, serving all types of beverages.
The gymnasium was a dome shaped building that now serves as the natatorium. Today we have several buildings that act like a gym such as the Sky Hawks Gymnasium, the Student Life Center and the ballroom in the Student Union Building. Many events are held in these areas. The clubs do not have to interfere with each other’s activities. A class can be going on in one building and activities of a club can be in another building. With this many areas it makes the schools’ and student’s activities much easier to schedule.
The dorms in the 1960s had a second floor sidewalk called the catwalks. Today the catwalks have been removed. They were moved in the 1970s. Many students have memories of these catwalks. One memory was when it snowed deep in the winter of 1968-1969 students would jump off the catwalks into the deep snow. Rick Wheelock, a Fort Lewis College student in 1968-1972 [and now a professor in the Department of Southwest Studies), enjoyed telling this story.
In the 1960s the students wore [more formal] clothing; males wore khakis and button down shirts and females wore dresses and sandals. Eyeglass frames were in diagonal shapes called cat eyes. In the 1960s many of the students listened to country music or Elvis Presley’s music. Today students’ fashions are different. Students wear casual clothing such as jeans and T-shirts. Some even wish to wear clothing that relates to music. The music that students listen to are R&B, rap, jazz or country music. Some even dress according to the crowd they hang out with such as skateboarders, gang members, or hippies.
In the 1960s Fort Lewis College had many student clubs such as The Westerners, The Drama Club, The Newman’s Club and last but not least, the Shalako Indian Club. The Shalako Indian Club consisted of many Indian tribes from across the United States. The Shalako Indian Club hosted the first Hozhoni Days. The Hozhoni Days is one of the oldest and biggest events at Fort Lewis College that is sponsored by Native American students on campus.
The Beginning of Hozhoni Days
According to the 1966 Fort Lewis College annual book, the first Hozhoni
Days was celebrated in 1966. Hozhoni Days consisted of three days of dances and
a myriad of other activities to which the campus community was invited most
cordially. The purpose of the celebration was to share the diversity of Native
culture, for Natives to voice their culture, for students at Fort Lewis to
understand Native society, and for Natives student to feel comfortable at Fort
Lewis College.
In 1966 the club was called the Shalako Indian Club (a word in Zuni, meaning a dance). The celebration consisted of a banquet on Thursday night, followed by the Friday night the pow-wow and the Saturday night basketball tournament.
On Monday, February 3, 2003, I interviewed Clyde Benally, a Navajo who was born and raised in the Montezuma Creek area. In 1966 he was a freshman at Fort Lewis College and was one of the individuals appointed as head person to reinvigorate the Indian club and help create the Hozhoni Days. Today he is known as "Father of Hozhoni Days."
The Administrative staff, Edwin (Ned) W. Wallace, Joe Wolcott and Nick Heidy, asked Clyde to come to a meeting at the Intercultural Center, today known as Native American Center. They informed Clyde that the Shalako Indian Club was not in good shape; therefore he was told that he needed to help reenergize the Shalako Indian Club.
After finding out he was not in trouble with the Administrative staff, he relaxed and with an iron grip Clyde and other Native Students began to plan the Hozhoni Days. The Shalako Club then selected officers. According to the 1966 Fort Lewis College annual, Robert Loescher was selected as president, Clyde Benally was vice president, Sharon Goodluck was secretary and treasurer and Wally Davis was representative to the student senate. Their plan was based on back home Indian Days when they attended boarding school. According to Clyde, during the Boarding School "Indian Days," the school invited guest speakers, students and visitors performed dances, and individuals demonstrated arts and crafts and/or cooked traditional foods.
The Name of Hozhoni Days
The first thing that was discussed was the name of the event. Since the
majority of the Native American students at Fort Lewis College were Navajos, the
Shalako Indian Club came up with the name "Hozhoni Days," a quick
translation meaning "Days of Beauty." According to the Navajo
English Dictionary by Leon Wall and William Morgan (1958) the word Hozhoni
means, it (a space or area) is beautiful, clean nice. When the word is broken
down to Hozho the word means to become peaceful, to become harmonious. According
to Clyde the word means "scared harmony." By putting all this
information together the Shalako Indian Club was able to visualize and judge
with their minds, hearts and spirits to define the meaning of Hozhoni. With
these components they were able to realize that it is not just about sharing of
diverse cultures or teaching non-natives about Native Americans but to
understand the purpose of the event "total environment, seems to be
in-balance and its Harmony with everything around." (Clyde Benally
interview, 2003) Therefore Hozhoni Days was to create the feeling of harmony,
comfort and enjoyment.
In 1966 during the planning of Hozhoni Days, students become highly involved and motivated because of the concept of the event. Membership in the Shalako Club included many tribes from throughout the United States. Active tribal members in the Shalako Club during the 60’s were students from the Apache, Navajos, Chippewa, and Santa Clara, Santo Domingo, Shoshone, Zuni, and Alaskan tribes, to name a few.
The Shalako club was very active, hosting conferences such as Indian youth council teaching pre-college students about leadership, dancing in dedication ceremonies at Lowry Ruins and even performing in London on February 19, 1971. According to Clyde, the Shalako Club was so influential that the Native students dressed-up in trousers and neck tie every Friday. Clyde called it "coat and tie." Soon not just the Shalako Club dressed, but also some of the Fort Lewis College non-Native students wore coats and ties and carried their briefcases to class. The Native Students also dressed in coat and tie during the Hozhoni Days and went out to the dance floor and danced in their coat and tie. "This was to show that it is not your clothing, or your dressing that make you an Indian, its in your heart," said Clyde Benally during the interview in January 2003.
The club did its best to involve everyone. From a letter Clyde wrote to the Fort Lewis students, he encouraged students to bring their families and friends to the Hozhoni Days, which was intended to be an educational as well as a social pursuit. The Shalako Club encouraged better communication and understanding between the American Indians and non- Indians. This gave the Shalako Indian Club a chance to present to the non-native people information about the clothes worn by different Indians tribes and some of the dances that are still performed today.
Today Hozhoni Days is the largest single event that Fort Lewis College students put on, with as many as 5,000 participants, spectators, and visitors from across the United States and Canada. It is also the longest running Fort Lewis College tradition.
Hozhoni Days Powwow
During the first Hozhoni Days week Clyde indicated that the first powwow
consisted of different dances, which he called "a show." Clyde called
it a show because many students performed nothing but dances from their own
tribe without competing against each other. According to the April 8, 1977 issue
of the Fort Lewis College student newspaper, the Independent, 1500 people
were estimated to crowd the gym floor. "People braved snow-bound roads and
inclement weather to reach the campus." Over the years, the Hozhoni Days
powwow became a contest powwow and grew. Today people come from all over the
United States to dance on the Skyhawks gym floor.
Miss Hozhoni Days
One of the big events that was planned to be part of the Hozhoni Days
was the selection of the Miss Hozhoni Days. According to the 1966 annual, the
first Miss Hozhoni was Lili Marlaine Naranjo, and had a brave attendant, Pete
Kazhe. The pageant contest was based on showing their modern talent, traditional
talents and public speaking.
When the first Miss Hozhoni was selected, there was no crown presented, only a bouquet of flowers and a sash that read "Miss Hozhoni Days." Young Native men performed for the title "Hozhoni Days Brave." The males’ talents and public speaking were also judged. Miss Hozhoni Days and the brave were selected usually before the event began in the 1960s. Their reign was mainly during Hozhoni Days. If they wanted to represent Fort Lewis College and Hozhoni Days elsewhere, for example at a conference, pow-wow or travel to Santa Fe, they had to pay their way at their own expense. (Clyde Benally interview, 2003)
In 1968 the first crown was presented to Miss Hozhoni Lois Vallo who was crowned by John F. Reed, the college president. The brave was given a sash that read "Hozhoni Days Attendant." Since then, Miss Hozhoni Days has been crowned and awarded a sash.
Miss Hozhoni 1966, Lili Marlaine Naranjo, was selected to be on the Miss Indian America court by Miss Indian America XII, Marcella Sharon Ahtone, who was invited to be present during Hozhoni Days. Miss Indian America had a choice to select a young woman to be on her court. The girl who was selected then automatically qualified to run for the title of Miss Indian America. During the following pageant, the1966 Miss Hozhoni, Lili Marlaine Naranjo, was selected and ran for the Miss Indian America title and won and returned to Fort Lewis College as Miss Indian America. "We spent many nights trying to prep her, asking her questions about the Indians" said Clyde Benally during the interview.
In 1968 the Shalako club decided to enter one of the Fort Lewis College Native women in the homecoming queen contest. Miss Hozhoni 1966, Lili Marlaine Naranjo, was nominated. The Shalako Club supported her. She was selected to be the 1968 Homecoming Queen (Photo in 1968 annual book). A member of the Shalako Club, Bob Loescher was selected to be her escort but due to having a date already, he declined the honor. Clyde Benally was selected to do the honors. Clyde, who was president of the Shalako Indian Club, became her escort and had the honor to take her to the homecoming dance and danced with her (a photo in 1968 annual book). Marliene was the first and last Native to be Homecoming Queen.
Over the years, Miss Hozhoni Days Pageant requirements have changed. Every year there are new committee members and officers that organize to run the pageant. Each new committee change pageant requirements to improve the pageant based on past pageants experience. The judging also changes due to the new committee and from results from past years of pageants.
Wambli Ota Club which replaced Shalako Indian Club, encourages their young Native American women at Fort Lewis College to run for the title "Miss Hozhoni" every year prior to the Hozhoni Days celebration. Today the person holding the title of Hozhoni Days is recognized as an ambassador of the organization and highly respected and must accept her duties. For example, if she is at a conference and ask to say a prayer, she must be willing to do so. She is expected to be a role model for the young people, all Natives, her tribe, and her family and most of all Fort Lewis College. A positive attitude must be part of her reign. If not she will not hold the trust of the people. To fulfill these duties the ambassador must be dedicated and motivated. Overall, Miss Hozhoni must do her best and keep in mind her duties and enjoy her reign. Today the requirements to run for the title are:
The contestant must be:
· Fort Lewis College student carrying at least 12 credit hours, with an overall GPA of 2.25 or better
· At least one-fourth of Native American ancestry
· Single with no children
· Willing to represent Fort Lewis College and Native American student body
Seniors are not allowed to run.
Contestants will be judged in the following categories:
· Modern and Traditional Talent
· Traditional Food Contest
· Panel Discussion
· Personal Essay
The applications are usually due two weeks prior to the pageant. For more information the contestants are referred to the Hozhoni Days pageant advisor or the website in recent years.
Through the years many young Native American women have come and gone, winning the title Miss Hozhoni and representing the Native Americans and the institution. Some of the former Miss Hozhonis had to split the reign due to transferring, not returning for the semester, or academic status.
The Miss Hozhoni Days pageant was held from 1966 to 1991. It was postponed in 1991. "They need more contestants for Miss Hozhoni, because no one yet entered the pageant," stated the Intertribal News Friday March 1, 1991 written by Chico J Little. For that reason the event was eventually cancelled that year.
However, in 2000 the Wambli Ota Club restarted the Hozhoni Days tradition, again including the pageant with the Hozhoni Days events. Today the Center of Southwest Studies houses the two crowns that had been used in the past years and are now archived.
Both of the crowns were lost for a number of years. Fortunately, both crowns were recovered [in the fall of 2002]. The oldest crown is the beaded crown. The 1986 Miss Hozhoni Days, Annabell Yazzie (Navajo), was the last Miss Hozhoni to wear that crown. The beaded crown was brought back to the College in (2002). Randy Garcia, a Durango community member returned the beaded crown, which he had found in the attic of his mother’s home. According to Elayne Walstedter (now Silversmith), the Delaney Southwest Research Library Librarian, Randy explained to her how he discovered the crown. He indicated that his mother used to rent out empty rooms to college students. Therefore it is believed that the 1985-1986 Miss Hozhoni Days must have rented a room in his mother’s house. Annabell apparently left it when she moved out. Since his mother had passed away about two years before, he was unable to clean out the attic. After going through some boxes he felt tired so he lied down on the couch and right before he dozed off he heard a thump sound. He then went up into the attic and found a box that had fallen and the beaded crown was lying there. The next day he returned it to Fort Lewis College.
When the beaded crown was lost, a new crown was purchased in 1988. The new crown was silver studded with turquoise and white stone and was made by Boyd and Janice White. Several Miss Hozhonis wore the crown, over a three-year period. Then in 1991 the reigning Miss Hozhoni, Agatha Lupe, did not return back to school and the Hozhoni Days crown was once again missing. Agatha Lupe was the last Miss Hozhoni of the 1990’s.
Jeanne Brako, curator at the Center of Southwest Studies, found the silver crown. The Southwest Center was located above the Reed Library on campus. In 2000 the Southwest Center building was fully constructed. All of the books, archives, stored items, museum items and the Southwest department moved to the new building. Jeanne Brako was unpacking and looking through boxes, and she found the silver crown. However, a new crown had been made for the new 2000 Miss Hozhoni. The new crown is silver, studded with turquoise stones with overlay designs. This crown is worn by the current Miss Hozhoni Days and will be used for upcoming years. Today the crowns are safely archived at the Delaney Library in the Center of Southwest Studies at Fort Lewis College.
In the past the Wanbli-Ota club had had Miss Hozhoni Days sign a lease form for the crown and sash. This form indicated that Miss Hozhoni Days had the crown and sash in her possession. When she signed the form, she agreed to keep the items safe and in good condition throughout her reign and agreed that she was to relinquish them at the end of her reigning year, most specifically during the next Miss Hozhoni Days Pageant. Also the form stated that Miss Hozhoni further agreed that if these items should be lost, damaged or stolen, that she would take full responsibility for replacement or necessary repairs.
For the years 2000-2002 Miss Hozhoni did not sign a lease form for the crown and sash. The lease form was revised, and the current Miss Hozhoni was required to sign the new lease and abide by the agreement.
Hozhoni Days Basketball Tournament
Another event that has always been part of the Hozhoni Days is the
basketball tournament. The Shalako Club organized their tournament by bringing
in teams from different places such as Denver, Colorado; Santa Fe, New Mexico;
Albuquerque, New Mexico; and Flagstaff, Arizona. A tremendous game was played
between students from Fort Lewis College. The game was called "Indians
against the Cowboys." The Indians were the Native Students and the Cowboys
were non-Native students from a club called the Westerners. In the 1967 annual
book of Fort Lewis College, a picture of the basketball tournament between the
Indian and Cowboys is shown with a quote that "The action was hot and heavy
during the basketball game natural rivals, the Cowboys and the Indians, as the
Westerners’ Club downed the Shalako Boys 51-34." The Shalako Club shared
a memorable, enjoyable highlight of the event. The Kittyhawks, an Indian women’s
hoop squad, and a group of Shalako Club men dressed in skirts and handkerchiefs
played a hard and fast basketball game for a kachina doll trophy.
In 1979 the basketball tournament was named in honor of the Hopi student Dennis Sinquah "The Dennis "Chum" Sinquah Memorial Basketball Tournament." The tournament is named in "honor of the talented Fort Lewis College student who was tragically killed in an auto accident in 1979. Dennis was highly respected by his peers and friends as a remarkable student and a gifted athlete, it is fitting that this annual tournament, which matches some of the best amateur men and women’s basketball teams in the region, is named for a student who is set high standards for excellence and sportsmanship. It is their hope that high example will live on in the tournament’s participants." (The Name Behind the Basketball Tournament 1998)
The tournament is a fund-raiser that helps provide money for the Wambli Ota Club. The money that is raised helps pay for security guards, head staff, and award money for the winner in the events throughout the Hozhoni Days celebration.
Hozhoni Days Speaker Series
The speaker series is also part of the Hozhoni Days. The speaker series
is when individuals are selected and invited to come to Fort Lewis College to
give a speech or presentation during the Hozhoni Days to the Fort Lewis College
students. They present or talk about their profession, history, and more of
interdisciplinary topics. The individuals that are usually selected are alumni,
authors, artists, historians, faculty of the college, or Fort Lewis College
students.
In 1966 one of the first speakers was Miss Indian America XII, Marcelle Sharron Ahtone. She was always invited to attend Hozhoni Days. As years came and went, many of the Royalty were invited to the event.
In 1968 the Shalako Club invited Billy Mills, who is from the Lakota tribe of Pine Ridge, South Dakota. Mills showed a film on the 1964 Tokyo Olympics and spoke of his career as an Olympic gold mental winner. He was the first American to win the 10,000-meter run. The club also invited Miss Indian America XIII, Sarah Johnson; Miss Indian Expo ‘67, Angelina Medina; and the Princess of Four-Corners, Nancy Alexander, to participate in the Hozhoni Days activities and speaker series.
The Shalako Indian Club was able to add other events such as the western dance sponsored by the Westerners Club. Navajo Wingate Valley Boys band played for the campus while the Fort Lewis College students danced their night away.
In 1969 the Shalako Indian Club invited royalty from various tribes come to Hozhoni Days. They were Miss Navajo Nation, Miss Indian America, Miss Indian New Mexico and Miss Indian Four-Corners. They came to Fort Lewis College to encourage the students to persist with their academics, and retain their culture. They entertained the people here at Fort Lewis College during the Hozhoni Days. The visiting royalty sang, danced or told stories. The invited royalty also attended the pow-wow and the western dance.
In 1972, Dr. Taylor McKensie, the first Navajo Physician and Chief Surgeon of Shiprock Hospital came to Fort Lewis College to talk to the students on "the American Indians Attitude Toward White Man’s Medicine," during the Hozhoni Days Speaker Series. He said, "It has become semi-tolerant acceptance. This is also true of their attitude toward modern medicine, though there are those that completely reject it."
During the 2002 Hozhoni Days, Roger Willie came back as a guest speaker for the speaker series. He was a student here at Fort Lewis College from 1984-1988. He received his Bachelor of Arts Degree in Art. He also taught a Navajo language class at Fort Lewis College for a semester. During an interview in February 2003, he indicated that if he were to come back to Fort Lewis College today to teach a class, he would teach a Native American Course that inspire other Native students to "live with passion." Roger Willie grew up in Continental Divide, New Mexico. He had a wonderful childhood and has the best parents anyone could ask for, he said.
Roger Willie starred in a motion picture called "Windtalkers," which opened in theaters in June 2002. During his presentation he discussed his life and role in the MGM movie that was about Navajo Code Talkers during World War II. His role was to play the character Charlie Whitehorse. Roger had been in the military from 1990 to 1994 and was stationed in Fort Bragg near Fayetteville, North Carolina. He was a member of the 82nd Airborne Division and fought in the Desert Storm in 1991. During the interview he noted, "Hozhoni Days is a ‘home away from home’ getting together with students friends and anyone who wants to be part of it. Organizing the events is an excellent leadership exercise for students. I t’s an event we all looked forward to."
The Name Change of the Indian Club
The Shalako Indian Club’s named changed in 1970s to Wambidiota Club.
The Independent, Fort Lewis College student newspaper, had articles dated
April 5, 1974 to March 19, 1976 with the clubs’ names. In the article of April
5, 1974 the Indian club name was referred to as Shalako Indian Club. In the
article of March 19, 1976 written by the Wambidiota Club the club was referred
to Wambidiota. Therefore the Shalako Inidan Club’s name must have been changed
either in the fall of 1974, in spring 1975, in the fall of 1975 or even in the
spring of 1976. Most of the activities for Hozhoni Days were the same. Only the
title of the club had changed.
A few changes in the activities resulted. he Hozhoni Days still included a cross-country race, movies, games, arts and crafts displays, the annual pageant, basketball tournament, and the grand event: the pow-wow. The prize money of the winners for the powwow was $1,200 in adult categories. The juniors and tiny tots categories were awarded trophies.(Independent, 1977)
Supporters of Hozhoni Days
The Intertribal News, the Fort Lewis College College Indian
student newsletter, is a greater supporter of Hozhoni Days and documents Hozhoni
Days events. The first Intertribal News was published on the November 9,
1981 and was called The Wambidiota News: News Letter of Fort Lewis College
Indian Club. According to Rick Wheelock, 8 ½ x 11-inch mimeographed
newsletter provided reports from Native students about Native students and the
Native events at Fort Lewis College. The Wambidiota News was a student
publication of the Wambidiota Indian Club and was sponsored by the Intercultural
Center of Fort Lewis College. A disclaimer in the paper said, "the opinions
expressed in the newsletter are not necessarily by those of the Wambidiota
Indian Club, the Intercultural Center or Fort Lewis College." Articles for
the newsletter were accepted from all who were interested in submitting written
articles. Today the newsletter is called the Intertribal News [and is
published weekly as a newspaper].
When the newsletter first began, it served its purpose as "extra-curricular activity" for the Native students at Fort Lewis College. The Wambidiota Club members wrote articles and drew pictures for the newsletter. No photos were included until later years. The newsletter holds many good stories and memories of the Hozhoni Days.
In 1991, according to an article in the Intertribal News called Wambidiota Becomes Wambli Ota by Charles White Buffalo informed that an inaccurate spelling of the Indian club’s name was found. On February 6, 1991 the Wambidiota Indian Club discovered the Club’s name was misspelled and that two words were put together which created problems in pronunciation. The club’s name was spelled Wambidiota, one word. The correct spelling of the name is Wambli Ota, meaning "Many Eagles" in the Lakota language. The Club voted to have the name change as a result.
According to the Intertribal News, it states that the Lakota Sioux dictionary, the name "Wambidiota" was misspelled. In the Lakota language the letter "L" was in their pronunciation. The letter "D" was changed to "L" so that it was pronounced correctly. "Wambli" meaning Eagles and "Ota" means many. "Like many of other tribes, when words are translated to English they are reserved, but the proper way to pronounce it is "Wambli" "Ota." The club finally got its new name "The Wambli Ota Indian Club," The Many Eagles Club. The club was more comfortable to use its correct name and pronunciation.
Hozhoni Days Fundraisers
In the fall of every year there was always a benefit powwow that the
Indian club would sponsor called the Fall Benefit Powwow. The benefit powwow was
to help fundraise for the up coming Hozhoni Days in the spring. The benefit
powwow was either on in October, November, or in December. In October 1991, the
benefit powwow changed to the Masquerade Benefit Powwow, a weekend before
Halloween. Since then the pow-wow has always been in October. According to the Intertribal
News American Indian Science and Engineering Society (ASIES Club) of Fort
Lewis College hosted the first Masquerade Benefit Powwow. Since then Wambli Ota
has always hosted the benefit powwow.
The students and community members dress in costumes and come to the powwow. Wambli Ota has the masquerading individuals dance during the grand entry and the powwow. Later, during the powwow the people dressed in costumes are called out to the dance floor to be judged according to the different categories such as scariest, funniest, wildest, cutest, and coolest according to age groups. The winners are awarded money, gifts or an honor dance. As a part of the events, AISES and the Wambli Ota members set up carnivals booths for students and children called fishing, jail, palm reading, haunted house and the cakewalk. The clubs sell tickets to fund raise for Hozhoni Days. For example, three tickets would cost two dollars and eight tickets would cost five dollars.
One of the great organizations supporting Native students and Wanbli Ota Club is the Bala Sinem Choir. The choir travels to many different places within the surrounding communities. According to an article called "The Bala Sinem Choir" from the Durango Herald of Durango, Colorado dated Jan 6, 1972, written by Wayne Morehead, Bala Sinem is a Hopi word meaning "Red People." The Bala Sinem choir sings songs from diverse tribes. According to the article, the Bala Sinem Choir was originated in 1972. The songs Bala Sinem Choir sing have been past down through generations. The author of the article "The Bala Sinem Chior," Wayne Morehead, researched and wrote, "William Woods wrote in London in 1634 after a visit to the Colonies: ‘Their musick is lullabies to quiet their children, who generally are as quiet as if they had neither spleen or lungs. To hear one of these Indians, unseen, a good eare might easily mistakes their untaught voyce for the warbling of a well tuned instrument. Such command have they of their voices.’ Woods description is both apt and incomplete. His description of the beauty of native American music is now dramatically testified to by the newly created, 40 voice Bala Sinem Choir at Fort Lewis College." Bala Sinem has always displayed a repertoire, and they show how music is important to every step of Indian life. Today the choir continues to perform at local events such as the pageants, banquets and at galleries.
The Wanbli Ota Club does so much to prepare for the Hozhoni Days. One of the big fundraiser that the club is well known for is the Indian Taco Sale. They have members of the club bring an item of the ingredient to serve on the taco. The taco ingredients are beans, lettuce, tomatoes, cheese and fry bread, and onions upon request. The taco is served with a cold Coke or Pepsi to chase down the taco.
Another fundraiser is the bake sale. Again the Wanbli Ota Club members bring or bake a dish of cookies, cake or rice crispy treats to sale. The club normally sets up in front of the cafeteria in the Student Union Building. They price their items depending on the item they are selling.
As a graduating senior and a Navajo, I, Bertina Nez of tse lchii, Rough Rock, Arizona conducted the research of Hozhoni Days: Cultural Legacy of Fort Lewis College. I began this research when I was doing my internship with Elyane Walstedter in the Delaney Research Library from January 2003- April 2003. I began this research after realizing that there was no documentation on Hozhoni Days. First I was in the process of researching for the former Miss Hozhoni Days. Then it grew into a research project through which I found a rich history of Hozhoni Days. I realized that Fort Lewis College is like nature. Fort Lewis holds so much rich tradition and is always willing to take in people.
Revised November 30, 2009